Hell's Kitchen (American season 5)


Season 5 of the American competitive reality television series Hell's Kitchen began airing on the Fox Network starting on January 29, 2009. The season concluded on May 14, 2009. Gordon Ramsay returned as head chef, as well as sous chefs Scott Leibfried and Gloria Felix and maître d' Jean-Philippe Susilovic.
Executive Chef Danny Veltri won the series and was awarded a sous chef position under Stephen Kalt at Italian restaurant Fornelletto at the Borgata in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Danny also received $250,000 in prize money from the show.
This season also featured a high number of unusual eliminations; with one chef eliminated without nomination, two chefs leaving due to medical issues, and two chefs eliminated during service, in addition to the first time a chef was eliminated despite being on the winning team, which would become more prominent in later seasons.

Format

The first half of each episode consists of a team challenge, in which the winning side gets a reward of some sort of leisure activity, while the losing side has to clean up and prepare both kitchens, as well as some activity that is not so pleasant. Afterwards, the teams compete in executing a dinner service, during which Ramsay can impose additional punishments or kick chefs out of the kitchen. The losing team nominates chefs to be considered for elimination. Ramsay can also nominate chefs, and ultimately sends a chef home. At six chefs left, the teams merge to one, and the chefs compete as individuals.

Staff

returned as the head chef, sous chefs Scott Leibfried of blue team and Gloria Félix of the red team, and Maître d' Jean-Philippe Susilovic as well.

Opening sequence

The chefs are shown alongside an elaborate Rube Goldberg machine as it plays out in the kitchen.

Contestants

16 chefs competed in Season 5, and were initially separated by gender. The chefs were:
ContestantAge OccupationHometownResult
Daniel "Danny" Veltri23Executive ChefEdgewater, FloridaWinner
Paula DaSilva28Executive Sous ChefCoconut Creek, FloridaRunner-Up
Andrea Heinly30Line CookReading, PennsylvaniaEliminated before Finals
Benjamin "Ben" Walanka26Executive Sous ChefChicago, IllinoisEliminated after 12th Service
Robert Hesse29Sous ChefQuogue, New YorkLeft before 11th Service
Giovanni Filippone37Executive ChefDestin, FloridaEliminated after 10th Service
Carol Scott30Sous ChefKnoxville, TennesseeEliminated after 9th Service
Alicia "LA" Limtiaco22Line CookLas Vegas, NevadaEliminated after 8th Service
Lacey D'Angelo24Corporate Buffet CookCharlotte, North CarolinaEliminated during 8th Service
Jason "J" Maxwell32Food Court ChefClifton Park, New YorkEliminated during 7th Service
Coi Burruss22Cafe ChefAustin, TexasEliminated after 6th Service
Colleen Cleek41Culinary InstructorPapillion, NebraskaEliminated after 5th Service
Seth Levine27Private Party ChefNew York, New YorkEliminated after 4th Service
Charlie McKay24Prep ChefLas Vegas, NevadaEliminated after 3rd Service
Ji-Hyun Cha33Private CatererPalisades Park, New JerseyLeft after 2nd Service
William "Wil" Kocol26Quality Control ChefElgin, IllinoisEliminated after 1st Service

Contestant progress

Each week, the best member from the losing team during the latest service period is asked to nominate two of their teammates for elimination; one of these two is meant to be sent home by Ramsay. On some weeks, there is a variation in the nomination process, depending on the losing team's performance.

Episodes

Each episode consists of a challenge with a reward, a service, nominations for elimination, and an elimination.